The Jaws of the Tiger
by marv
Summary: Bridger & Westphalen have unexpected company during a dive


OK, Standard Disclaimer.I don't own SeaQuest or any of the characters involved in it.All my stories are amateur works.As always comments are welcome, criticism is OK too as long as it's constructive.Destructive criticism will be taken as an indication that you need something else to do with your free time :-)

This story takes place during the time the second SeaQuest is being built.

******

The Jaws of the Tiger

By marv (marvid@interaccess.com)

Rated: PG-13 for mild swearing & sexual content

Lucas handed the air tank down into the sailboat to Bridger who glanced up at him,"You sure you don't want to come with us?"

"No, no…that's OK, Captain," Lucas hastily reassured him."You and the Doc go and have yourself a good time on that reef.I'll try to come up with something to do."

Bridger didn't think the boy was going to have any problem filling up the time.For that matter, it was apparent that after four weeks of all of them sharing the same house, Lucas would be rather glad to be rid of them for the afternoon.

Kristin came down the pier with a lunch basket in her hands."Are you absolutely sure?We've got some rather wonderful goodies here for lunch."She opened the basket slightly to allow Lucas a quick glimpse at the delicious delights contained inside.

"Thanks, Doc, but I think I'll just sit here and munch on that left over pizza from last night…and maybe read a good book," he grinned mischievously.

"Oh, puleeeze," groaned Bridger from the cabin.He came out on the deck."Cast off that bow line, will ya?"

Lucas ran up to the bow and tossed Bridger the line."Last chance!" yelled Kristin.

"Have a good time!" Lucas yelled back as the sailboat moved away from the pier."Dive safely."

Bridger used the engine to slowly move through the intracoastal waterway until they made it out into open water.Once they were free of any wake restrictions Nathan and Kristin raised the sails and headed towards Cabot's Reef.Kristin noticed Nathan watching her as she secured the halyard. 

"What are you looking at?" she asked in a low voice.

"Ah," he grinned, "I'll use the most obvious answer…The most beautiful woman on the sea."

Kristin came down to stand next to him, "Flattery will get you everywhere, sailor."She threw him a leering glance, "Aren't you glad Lucas decided not to come along?"

"You can't imagine how glad I am," he said as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be driving this boat?" Kristin asked as he nuzzled against her neck.

"Um, hmm."Bridger was nibbling on her earlobe."I am driving."

"Mmmm, what you're doing is driving me nuts.You keep this up and we'll end up losing our bottom on a reef," Kristin said as she pinched Nathan on the stomach.

"Ow…spoil sport…."

Kristin made an elaborate show of looking at the water ahead of the boat and pointedly ignored his advances. "How far out is this reef you're taking me to?"

"Cabot's Reef is a bit less than two miles out.I figured we'd sail straight out a couple of miles and then just leisurely work our way down to it.We may get company along the way.I told Darwin where we'd be and he sounded like he wanted to come along."Bridger checked both sides of the boat and their wake for any sign of Darwin.He shrugged his shoulders."I guess he changed his mind."

Kristin ducked her head into the cabin and came back out with a bottle of water for Nathan and one for herself."Do you want to eat first or dive first?"

Nathan considered that a moment."To tell you the truth, I'd rather eat first.I didn't get any breakfast."

"Well, that was your own fault," Kristin chastised him."If you had remembered to get the tanks filled yesterday evening like you said you would, you wouldn't have had to go out to the dive shop this morning to get air."

"I was busy last night," Nathan said with an offended air.

Kristin reflected back on their 'extracurricular' activities last night and just grinned at him."I'd _say_ you were busy." Her grin was returned."So, do you want to get to the reef first and then eat, eat while you're sailing or just find a place to anchor and eat there?"

"Well, we seem to have made it out of any traffic lanes."It appeared that in a very short time they had managed to sail away from all the other boats near the coast and now there were only one or two visible at all, and they weren't close."We're over a mile out.Let's just anchor here."Nathan heaved to while Kristin went forward to loose the anchor.Nathan checked the depth and did a little turn around to be sure he wasn't dropping anchor on a reef or anything that he could damage.He glanced over the side until he saw clear sand through the crystal water below the boat and called to Kristin to 'let her go'.

With the sail down and the small boat secured, Kristin went below to gather the food while Bridger prepared an area on the bow of the boat where they could eat. A short time later they were dining on cold chicken and potato salad followed by lemon meringue pie and raspberries.After she finished eating Kristin lay on the bow of the boat with her head back and her eyes closed.Nathan couldn't help but admire her trim curves and silky skin. 

"You're staring again," Kristin said without even opening her eyes.

Nathan stroked her smooth calf, "Just admiring the view, ma'am."

Kristin opened one eye and grinned."So…are you just a voyeur or are you a man of action," she teased.

Bridger slid up until he was lying next to her."You want action?…Action I can provide," as he lowered his lips down to hers.

Kristin gladly accepted the caress of his lips and the touch of his hand as it traced a path down her side to her thigh.Nathan rolled partly onto Kristin so that they melded to each other.His tongue traced a path around her lips and she opened her mouth to capture it and entwine it with her own.By the time they broke the deep kiss they were both breathing hard.

Nathan looked down into Kristin's soft, sensuous eyes.In them he saw reflected back at him the desire that he felt to his very soul.Her hands slid beneath the light top that he wore and kneaded the strong muscles on his back.Nathan kissed a path down from her cheek to her ear.As Kristin slid her nails down his spine she heard him groan into the curve of her neck.One of his hands was entangled in her hair while the other gently undid the buttons of the light cover-up she wore over her swimming suit.That obstacle out of the way, Nathan slid his hand up across her stomach and playfully ran a thumb over one breast.Kristin moaned as his lips blazed a path to the base of her neck and then down into the valley of her chest.

Kristin brought her head up to nibble on Nathan's ear and pulled off his shirt.She opened her eyes.

"Nathan?"

"Ummm?"

"There's some asshole sitting about 200 yards off our starboard bow getting quite worked up watching us."

Not surprisingly, Nathan stopped his explorations and looked up at Kristin."Crap…. That's quite a passion buster, isn't it?"

Kristin just leaned her head against his and nodded.Nathan couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or laughing.He grabbed his shirt and put it back on and they both stood.Kristin gathered up the remains of their lunch while Nathan stayed forward to raise the anchor and flip off the guy in the other boat.As he was raising the sail, Kristin came back on deck again.She stood by the wheel and watched as his strong arms made short work of raising the main sail and then the jib.After he secured the lines, Nathan joined her at the wheel.

She was having some trouble reading his expression and body language."Angry?" 

He inclined his head."A little…and a little embarrassed….but…I do have an advantage over the asshole on the other boat."

"Hmmm?" Kristin asked fingering the edge of his shirt.

"He only gets to watch….," and he smiled that 'little boy' smile."I get to play."Bridger put his arm around Kristin and placed another passionate kiss on her lips.

After a short sail they reached the area of Cabot's Reef.When the securing sail and anchoring chores were out of the way they busied themselves with the preparation of their dive gear.Kristin was watching another boat which was anchored about a half mile further south on the reef.

"What do you think they're doing," she inquired.

Nathan watched the two men on the boat for a short time."Off hand, I'd say that they're a pretty typical example of what happens when you combine a boat, beer and a couple of idiots….it looks to me like they're trying to spearfish from the boat.What a great way to piss off the fish."

"That's what I thought."She watched them a while longer."Without much success fortunately."She went back to checking her gear and turned her attention to the dive."So what did Tim say about this reef?"

"He said there was an amazing amount of fish on this one," Nathan said as he man-handled the air tanks to the side."The bottom is only about 40 feet down and the coral reef comes up about 15 feet off of it and that it has some really vivid fire coral."

"Oooh, I'll be sure to keep my hands to myself.I assume you recommend wearing gloves."

"That would be a good idea."Nathan ran the dive flag up the mast and double-checked the anchor.He helped Kristin don her heavy air tank and then slid into his own.Sitting on the side of the boat with their feet inboard, they both put on their fins and masks.They checked the operation of their regulators and the seal on their masks before giving each other a 'thumbs up' and dropping backwards off the boat into the water.

They leisurely slid down through the crystal water until they hovered over probably one of the nicest coral reefs either of them had seen.Although the top was scarred in a few places the reef seemed to have avoided most of the damage caused by propellers and anchors that was usually present on reefs this close to the surface.The abundance of marine life was magnificent as large schools of fish danced through the water below them.The flashes of the yellow and black sergeant majors and rainbow colors of the parrot fishes blended with the orange and white of the clown fish as they swirled around each other. And then there was the coral…huge mounds of labyrinth-like brain coral, great spreads of staghorn coral and the gentle waving of fern coral created a surreal landscape on the reef.The yellow-hued fire coral was also present and little fishes darted in and out of the short fingers of the reef.Christmas tree worms dotted the coral fanning out their delicate tendrils and then pulling them in as anything got close to them.Kristin and Nathan slowly glided over the reef pointing out creatures and plants to each other.

"Oh, look, a flamingo-tongue snail," said Kristin pointing at the small dotted cream-colored snail grasping onto a thin coral.

Nathan indicated where a delicately shaped brittlestar was moving along the bottom of the reef and Kristin watched as four blue angelfishes swam right by her mask.The fish didn't seemed to be troubled at all that these humans had invaded their world.

"And to add on to that there's some queen angelfish," Nathan said through their com-link as a small group swam by."But keep your fingers out of that crevice there, it's got an occupant."Just then a green moray eel peeked out of the hole Nathan had indicated.

Kristin heard a regular hum start up."It sounds like the dummies are leaving."

"They really are dummies if they're motoring off a reef on a nice day like today.Personally, I'd have the sail up….and a pretty lady reclining on the bow."

"Oh, you never stop do you."Her words were chastising but Nathan could see the smile through her mask.

Nathan and Kristin were unhurriedly inspecting some especially graceful anemones when Nathan noticed a change in their surroundings.He looked around.

"Kristin?" he asked in a tentative voice.

"What?"

"Something wrong…the fish are gone."The water, which had been teeming with multi-colored sea life just a moment ago was now devoid of anything swimming other than the two divers.

Bridger's voice became more tense and forceful."Kristin, drop down and hug the bottom."He swam down with her.

She watched him turn his head all directions as he canvassed the underwater terrain."Nathan…why did they leave?"The tone of her voice was a bit nervous.

Bridger never stopped looking around.He had that 'all business' tone to his voice, "I've got an idea and I don't like it…we're going to swim back to the boat….not fast…don't make a lot of movement and stay low to the bottom."He saw a flash of something large swim just out of his vision to the left."What was that?"

Now Kristin's voice was more than a little bit nervous."What was what?"

He looked over to where she was swimming about an arm's length away from him."I saw something big swimming…"Just then Nathan saw a large light brown-striped creature swim over the top of the coral next to them and head for Kristin.Besides its size, all Nathan could see was the teeth.

"Kristin!!" he yelled as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.That action caused the shark to miss Kristin with his mouth but she was struck on the head and stunned by the huge black-tipped dorsal fin as the shark swam by.The fin tore her mask off and damaged her regulator which started to free-flow.Bridger pulled her down closer to the sand and grabbed for his dive knife which was attached to his leg.He quickly took her regulator out and gave it a good hit which freed the stuck valve and put it back in Kristin's mouth.Her frightened eyes looked at him and suddenly became large as she saw the shape coming up behind Nathan.

Reading the look in her eyes, Bridger spun around and pulled in as he saw the shark heading for him.He felt a heavy blow on one leg and struck down with his dive knife as hard as he could into the snout of the shark.The shark broke away shaking his head.Bridger lost track of the shark but he had no illusions that it had given up on its prey, especially as Bridger could see that he was bleeding heavily from the wound the shark had inflicted on his leg.The blood in the water was almost guaranteed to bring the shark back around.Nathan spotted the shark off to his right and moving towards him.He moved so that he was between the shark and Kristin who was still stunned both from the blow to the head and the sudden ferocity of the attack.As the shark picked up speed towards them Nathan saw a flash of grey moving fast off to the right.The shark was almost upon him again when Darwin struck the shark in the belly with his snout.The force of the blow sent the shark rolling away from the divers and Nathan saw Darwin turn and come back for another strike.

Taking advantage of the diversion created by Darwin, Bridger grabbed onto Kristin's arm and kicked back towards where they had anchored their boat as fast as he could.Just before they reached the boat Bridger saw that the bubbles had stopped coming from Kristin's regulator and a panicked look haunted her eyes.Bridger unsnapped his octopus spare regulator from his vest and held it out to Kristin.Kristin stared at it, uncomprehending, for just a moment before tearing her non-functioning regulator out of her mouth and replacing it with Bridger's spare.As they ascended to the surface Bridger had to fight the urge to swim up as fast as they could.Kristin wasn't breathing right to begin with and if they ascended too quickly she could end up with the bends besides her head injury.Nathan looked around as they came up trying to get a view of what was going on with the shark and Darwin but saw only stirred up sand in the water in the direction from which they had come and no sign of Darwin.

They broke the surface only about 10 feet from the ladder of the boat.Nathan pulled the emergency inflator on both of their vests to keep them up on the surface.Kristin was bleeding from a cut on her head and another on her face.A nasty bruise and scrape marred her left shoulder where the fin had rasped against her.Her eyes still were not in focus and Nathan was afraid that she might have sustained a head injury from the blow.He guided Kristin over to the ladder at the back of the boat.

He spoke sharply to her to try to get her concentrate, "Kristin!!"She blinked a couple of times and looked at him.Not saying anything but apparently paying attention.

"Can you climb the ladder?"He held onto the ladder with one arm and onto her with the other.

She seemed to recognize him and shook her head."I don't think so," she said in a weak voice.

Nathan reached down and pulled the release for her weight belt and then for her vest."OK, let me help."He reached under the water momentarily and pulled her fins off, throwing them in the back of the boat.He reached behind her and pulled the vest loose from her arms.Nathan dumped his own weight belt and vest and then took his fins off and also tossed them in. Nathan got behind Kristin so that she was between him and the ladder."Kristin, I need you to try to go up the ladder.I'll go up with you."

She nodded and gingerly put first one foot and then the other on the ladder.Nathan climbed up the ladder one step behind her assisting her as she moved up into the boat.The balancing was difficult because his injured leg wouldn't hold his weight.When her waist came even with the side of the boat, Kristin was able to pull herself over until she tumbled onto the deck.Nathan pulled himself in beside her and they lay for a moment trying to get their breath back.Nathan pulled himself up so that he could look out over the water to where they had been diving.He had hoped to see Darwin but there was no sign of him or any disturbance on the surface. If it wasn't for the two buoyancy vests and tanks floating away there would be no sign of the turmoil that had just happened below the waves.

"Nathan, you're bleeding," Kristin said.

Nathan turned, relieved.A return to her 'doctor mode' was a sure sign that Kristin was coming back to awareness."So are you."

"Yes, but you're bleeding worse than I am," Kristin commented as she looked over at his leg. 

A deep gash extended from just below Nathan's knee all the way down his calf and stopped about two inches above his ankle.The ragged cut was bleeding profusely and Kristin grabbed one of the towels they had put on the bench before the dive.Nathan slid over towards her and she proceeded to create a make-shift bandage for the wound.

"Let me get something to bandage your head."Nathan tried to get up to get the first aid kit from the cabin but his leg buckled underneath him."I don't think I'm going to try that again," he said as he clutched his leg.Instead Nathan slid over to the cabin door and reached inside for the kit.He slid back to where Kristin sat and helped her bandage the cuts on her head and face.

"Where did the shark go?" Kristin asked in a shaky voice.

"I don't know.Darwin hit him."

"What??"

"Just as he was going to get me, Darwin came swimming out of nowhere and bashed into him….I don't know happened from there.We swam over here."He glanced over the side again."I haven't seen him since then."Now Bridger's voice was shaky as he thought of how his friend had saved them.He looked back at Kristin."We're going to have to try to get back in."

Kristin tried to say something but her voice caught in her throat.She just nodded.

"Do you think you can steer the boat?"Kristin nodded again."You see if you can get into the pilot's seat.I'll get the anchor," and he pulled himself up onto the walkway next to the cabin and started to slide towards the bow.

"Nathan, you can't even walk, how are you going to pull up the anchor."

"I'm not going to pull it up.I'm going to cut the line."Bridger pulled himself forward until he got to the bow and then used his dive knife to sever the line.By the time he got back to the wheelhouse, the towel around Bridger's leg was soaked with blood.Kristin had started up the engine and looked over at him with concern.He was very pale.

"Do you want to drive or me?"

Bridger gave a short laugh… "That's one hell of a choice isn't it?How's your vision right now?You looked pretty out of it before."

Kristin sat down in the pilot's chair."I'm a little fuzzy, but I'm not seeing double, which is good….You just keep me pointed in the right direction."

"You're on the right heading now…just keep it up."He reached for the marine radio and tuned it to the Coast Guard emergency channel."Cape Quest Coast Guard from Sandcastle."

He waited a moment and then repeated, "Cape Quest Coast Guard from Sandcastle, we have an emergency."

A voice came back on the radio, "Sandcastle, this is Cape Quest Coast Guard.State your emergency."

"Coast Guard this is Sandcastle, we have two victims of a shark attack.One head injury and one leg injury.We're on our way in from Cabot's Reef about one and one-half mile off the shore."

"Message received Sandcastle.We'll send a boat out towards you.Can you give further on the injuries?"

"Coast Guard, Sandcastle, both victims conscious and mostly alert.Victim with head injury did not appear to lose consciousness but was rather confused for a while.She also has cuts on the head and face."Kristin looked over at Nathan who had gone even more pale and now was gasping for air a little.She reached over and took the mike from his hand.

"Coast Guard, Sandcastle again.The victim with the leg injury was bitten on the lower leg causing a gash over one foot long.He can't put weight on the leg and he's lost a considerable amount of blood.He appears to be going into shock."Kristin took her thumb off the mike key and looked over at Nathan who was sitting on the deck with his back against the side and his good leg pulled up."Nathan, put your head down before you pass out."Nathan leaned down and did as he was told.

"Roger that Sandcastle.We should be with you in just a couple of minutes."Kristin could already see the Coast Guard boat speeding towards them.

She looked towards Nathan who had his eyes closed and a serious look of pain on his face."I didn't think that there was a problem with shark attacks in this area."

"Those idiots on the other boat must have pissed off the shark.After they left there was nothing to go after but us." Nathan said with his head still down."Can you do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

He held his hand out."Can you give me my phone?…Damn, this hurts."

She reached under the cockpit where Nathan had stowed his phone before going diving and handed it to him.

The Coast Guard boat pulled up beside them and grappled on to their boat.A couple of the crew jumped over to check out Nathan and Kristin.The one checking out Kristin asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Kristin winced as he quickly checked her cuts."Not me, I'm afraid.The shark hit me first and the next thing I remember is climbing the ladder into the boat."

"It was a tiger shark.He came over the coral reef and his dorsal smacked Kristin on the head.Then he doubled around and came after me.He got my leg but I stabbed him in the nose with my dive knife."Nathan's voice was weak but he kept up his explanation. He still had his head down and stopped for a moment."Then he came back at us again…he was almost on us when Darwin showed up and plowed into him.I don't know what happened to him after that.We just went for the boat."

The Coast Guard Lieutenant straightened up."So there's someone still out there?"

"Darwin's a dolphin, Lieutenant," Kristin said quietly, her eyes glued on Bridger who raised sad eyes to look at her before dropping his head down again.

"Oh, OK."The lieutenant was all business again."Our boat can get back in faster than yours so I'll have one of my men crew your boat and bring it back while we take the two of you in for medical treatment."

The crew helped Kristin to get across onto the Coast Guard boat but when Nathan tried to stand to cross over, his leg gave way again and they decided to bring him across on a back board.Kristin sat in the well deck of the Coast Guard boat next to Nathan who was lying on the board with one arm over his eyes as a crewmember rebandaged his leg.He still clutched his phone in his hand.

"I'm sure Darwin is fine, Nathan," she said softly.

"Then where is he?" he asked in a pained, almost inaudible voice.

"Do you want me to call Lucas or do you want to?"

"Can you?"

Kristin took the phone from his hand and placed the call to Lucas.She was going to have to be quick since they were approaching the dock and the ambulance was waiting.Kristin got through to the boy and quickly explained what happened.She told him they were going to be at the emergency room of New Cape Quest General Hospital.

As the Coast Guard crew was handing Nathan up to the ambulance crew he called out to her, "Tell him to stay there and watch for Darwin.If he's hurt he'll probably try to get to the house."

The trip to the hospital was uneventful except that Nathan was even paler by the time they got there. The bandages applied by the Coast Guard crew had pretty much stemmed the flow of blood from his leg and Kristin thought that the shock Nathan appeared to be in was more likely caused by the idea that Darwin may be hurt or dead.When they arrived at the hospital they were placed in separate treatment rooms and Kristin discovered that she really didn't like it when another doctor treated Nathan.

A short time after they arrived, Kristin was surprised by the appearance of Jonathan Ford.He had shown up at the hospital and talked his way back into the treatment area.Jonathan was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.He could even make that look like a uniform.

"Where did you come from?" asked Kristin.

He smiled at her question, "There are an awful lot of smart-ass answers to that, you know?But for now we'll settle for the fact that Tom Meyers, the Coast Guard Lieutenant that picked you up is a friend of mine.He recognized the names and gave me a call as soon as he hit the dock… Are you alright?"

She touched the bandage that covered the cut on her forehead."Yes,…a bit banged up and a bit shook up...but I'm alright.It's Nathan that I'm worried about….and Darwin."

Ford looked confused."Darwin??...Why are you worried about him?"

Kristin explained what had happened out on the reef and how they hadn't seen Darwin since he had attacked the shark.Ford stood for a moment in thought and then seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Well, we might as well use the resources we've got available here to look for him."

Kristin regarded him with a totally confused look on her face.

"The press has picked up the story of the shark attack. They're waiting outside for you."

At that Kristin blanched a little.

"They're also out in helicopters over Cabot's Reef getting 'on-scene' shots.I happen to know a couple of people who work for the news stations and I can probably make a deal with them to see if they can spot Darwin while they're flying the reef."

Kristin looked relieved."Oh, that would be wonderful.Nathan is really worried about him."

Ford winked at her and headed for the door."I'll be back shortly," he commented over his shoulder.

By the time Ford returned the doctors had completed stitching up Kristin's cuts and cleaning out her scrapes.She was hounding the nurse's desk a little to get some more information on Nathan and that was where Jonathan found her when he got back.

"The helicopters are going to watch out for Darwin.I had to make a deal with them to get the story about the attack."

Kristin looked a little shocked."Jonathan, I really don't think I can talk to the press and heaven knows Nathan is in no shape…"

Ford waved his hand at her, "Not to worry, I gave them the story as your spokesperson."

A relieved sigh crossed Kristin's lips."Jonathan, you're unbelievable…Thank you."

"I've also arranged for us to sit in a room away from the press while we wait to see what's going on with Nathan."He guided Kristin away from the nurse's desk and down a corridor where a small room had been made available to them.

As he settled Kristin into a chair she filled him in on what she'd been able to find out."They're still working on Nathan's leg."Concern clouded her face."It's really a very nasty cut. Very deep and very ragged.I imagine they're having to do quite a bit of repairs on the muscles."

After more than an hour of waiting they got the word that Nathan was being released.Jonathan accompanied Kristin down to the treatment room where Nathan was getting his last minute instructions from the doctor.As they entered Nathan was sitting on the bed with his leg stretched out.He was buttoning up his shirt and doctor was lecturing him.His face lightened when he saw Kristin.

"Doctor Waring, I'll be honest.You can tell me what you want to but I'm not going to remember.I suggest you tell Kristin.Trust me, she'll make sure I take care of myself."

The doctor smiled at Kristin."I don't think I need to tell Dr. Westphalen.Kristin, I think you know how to take care of this cut."He indicated Nathan, "Do you think you can get this guy to behave?"

Kristin answered honestly, "No…but he will listen to me.Don't worry Dave.I'll watch out after him."

After a few more pleasantries and exchange of prescriptions for Nathan, Dr. Waring left.Kristin walked over to Nathan and put her hand on his arm.Concern laced her voice as she regarded him."Are you alright?"

Nathan shrugged, "Yeah,…yeah, I guess so."

As she helped Nathan to stand up on his crutches she told him, "Jonathan has some friends of his from the press keeping a watch for Darwin from their helicopters.They're checking the reef and around it."

Nathan raised a grateful face to Jonathan."Thanks…I don't know what happened to him.He showed up so fast and just plowed into that shark."Nathan shook his head, "And then I just didn't see where he went."Ford was surprised with how lost Nathan sounded.

The trio made their way out to Ford's car to drive back to the beach house.Silence descended on the car for most of the ride.The front seat had more leg room so Nathan sat in the front passenger seat.Kristin sat behind him and spent the trip watching the emotions play across Nathan's face.She knew that Darwin was more than a simple friend to Nathan but she hadn't realized before just how deeply he cared for the animal.

When they arrived at the house they were met by Lucas who watched with great concern as first Westphalen and then Bridger got out of the car.Nathan looked up at the boy with a question in his eyes. 

Lucas just shook his head."No sign of him."Nathan nodded wordlessly and slowly worked his way out to the end of the dock.He used the pilings and the crutches to lever himself down into a sitting position on the boards with his back against a piling.After a short time, Kristin followed him.

"Are you going to stay out here and watch for him?" she asked him gently.

"Um, hum…I have to," he responded softly.

"Do you want any company?"

Nathan looked over at her."No, thanks…I think I'd rather wait alone."

She patted him on the shoulder."Alright, but we'll just be up at the beach house," and she left him sitting there staring out into the water.

Kristin and Jonathan sat on the porch watching Nathan while Lucas wandered around, occasionally walking to the edge of the porch and looking out at the water.After about an hour Lucas came from the house with a tray holding two ice teas and a sandwich. 

"I'm going down to the dock"

"He said he wanted to be alone, Lucas," Kristin said.

"I know what he said," said Lucas with a sigh."But I don't want him to be alone."He grabbed a pillow as he walked out the door.

Nathan was still sitting on the dock with his back against a piling.He kept his eyes on the water when Lucas walked up next to him.

Lucas looked out at the water also, "You okay?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, sure."Lucas stayed silent and Nathan finally gave up and looked at him.His voice sounded as sad as he looked."Yeah, well I guess not." 

Lucas sat down on the dock near Nathan."I brought a pillow for your leg.I thought it might feel better if you elevate it."

Lucas was right, his leg had started throbbing about a half hour ago as the pain-killer wore off and now it was getting pretty painful."Thanks."He accepted the pillow and Lucas' help in getting his leg up onto it.

"I brought something to drink too.Doc says you should take one of these pain pills."

He held out a small bottle of prescription pills with Bridger's name on it.Kristin must have picked them up at the hospital.

Nathan sighed and went back to watching the water."Probably not a good idea.I haven't had anything to eat since lunch."

Lucas moved the tray around in between them.In a false cheery voice he said, "How lucky can you get?I brought you a sandwich too."At that even Bridger had to smile.He shook his head and Lucas said in a frustrated voice, "Will you eat, already?"

"Yes, mother."Nathan ate the sandwich and the silence continued as they both kept their eyes roving over the water.

After Nathan had finished eating and had taken his pill, Lucas started to talk to him softly."How did you meet him?"

They both knew that he was talking about Darwin.Bridger cast a quick glance at Lucas and then returned his gaze to the water."He came floating into the lagoon at my island one day."His voice was soft as he relived those days."He'd had a run-in with a fishing net.He was pretty cut up and hungry….Carol and I were both in the water…we'd been working and fishing…Darwin just slowly swam right up to me and it was like…"He paused a moment and glanced up at Lucas again, "It was like he leaned against me…like he was asking for help."

Lucas chuckled, "And how could you resist those eyes."

Nathan smiled and shook his head."No you can't.I kept him quiet while Carol fed him the fish we'd caught.Then he came into the shallower water and let me work on his cuts…."Bridger paused again, "He didn't seem to want to leave so I stayed with him that first night to be sure he was coming up for air when he slept."He smiled at the memory."Carol said I looked like a prune after spending almost the whole night sitting in the water keeping an eye on him."

"He was too weak to swim so we kept feeding him for a few days until he got his strength back…And I figured that he'd leave as soon as he felt better and the cuts healed but he just stuck around…"A smile crept into his voice, "Carol said that he adopted us."

There was a far-away sound to his voice when he continued, "I wonder what she would have said to being able to talk to him."Nathan's voice choked a little and his eyes were glistening when he looked up at Lucas."Do you know how wonderful it's been to talk to him….How important your work on the vocorder has been to me?"

Lucas just nodded slowly."It turned out to be pretty important to me too.He's been a good friend…"Lucas smiled, "and a heck of a playmate."

Bridger smiled back and chuckled a little, "I know about that one.Besides the help with our various experiments he was also a blast to play with.He was really good at letting me ride on his fin underwater so that I could sneak up behind Carol.We used to drive her crazy."

Nathan became more reserved, "And then about six months after he adopted us, Carol died."He looked away, his voice soft and sad as he continued, "Darwin knew…I guess it was my turn to lean on him.I'd sit or stand in the water and he'd just rub up against me…like he was holding my hand."Nathan lapsed into silence.

While they'd been talking the sun had set and darkness had engulfed the water.Looking for Darwin in the dark was going to be even more difficult but they strained their eyes trying to catch a glimpse of him.Lucas was the first to see the break of the water.It was just the tip of a fin.It could be anything from a large fish to a shark and it was a good distance out.Nathan had dropped his gaze to the dock as he relived the days after Carol's death in his mind so he never saw it.Lucas hesitated.He didn't want to say anything until he was sure if it was Darwin.The fin went away and Lucas doubled his attention to the water.There it was again, closer this time but moving slowly and then it was gone.And again, now it definitely looked like the fin was moving towards the dock.Lucas reached up and touched Nathan on the shoulder.To his questioning glance, Lucas just pointed out to where he had seen the fin the last time.Bridger's eyes were riveted on the water now and just as he was ready to turn back to Lucas a fin broke the surface right next to the dock and the vocorder came to life.

"Darwin home."

Nathan spun around a lot faster than he should have to end up face down on the dock so that he could reach for Darwin.Thank heavens it was high tide and the water was close to the deck.Seeing his movement and Lucas moving to the side of the dock the two in the house stood up and watched them.

Lucas yelled up to the house, "Hey Doc, get down here…and bring your med case."

Jonathan and Kristin ran down to the dock where Bridger was now laying face down with his hands in the water.Darwin moved slowly against Bridger's hands.As they reached the dock Lucas and Jonathan jumped in the water with their clothes on to go to Darwin's aid.Nathan started moving further towards the edge of the dock but was stopped by Kristin's hand holding his shoulder.

"Don't even think of getting in that water with that leg," she said menacingly.

"But…" he started.

"They can take care of him."

Bridger had to settle for talking to him through the vocorder."Darwin, are you alright?"

"Darwin…tired"

Bridger smiled, "I bet you are…but are you hurt?"

"Darwin hurt…Bridger hurt…Kristin hurt…shark dead"

Lucas looked up at Nathan."It looks like he's got a couple of cuts and scrapes.Not too bad.I think he's bruised up pretty good too."

"I can imagine," Nathan said relieved."He really smashed into that shark."

"Darwin smash shark" 

"You most certainly did, my friend," said Bridger as he stroked Darwin's melon.

"Darwin, you're a hero," said Kristin.

"Lucas, hero good?" Darwin asked.

"No Darwin, hero is great."

"Darwin tired…Darwin sleep."

"Lucas, do those cuts look like anything that needs treatment?" Bridger asked.

Lucas shook his head."No, pretty minor actually.Darwin, why don't you sleep under the dock.Then no boats will bother you."

The two men loosed the light hold they had on Darwin and he slipped under the dock.

Kristin knelt next to where Nathan was still lying on the dock.She rubbed her hand softly across his shoulders."Are you alright?"

"I am now," was Bridger's relieved response.

"Good."Kristin's voice became decidedly less friendly, "Now tell me that you didn't manage to tear open that cut when you jumped across the dock like you did."

He turned his head until he could look at her with one eye."Would I lie to you?"

"Every chance you get," she said dryly.

Nathan turned over on his right side and sat up.He grinned up at Kristin, "I don't think I hurt it... well, no more than it is already."Jonathan was already back on the dock and Nathan looked over at Lucas as he climbed the ladder back to the dock."Well, I know what you're going to be doing tomorrow morning."

Lucas got that wary teenager look on his face. "What?" 

"You're gonna go find some fresh squid…he loves squid."

Lucas smiled and reached down to help Nathan to his feet.Kristin handed him his crutches and they all started walking back to the house."Squid?" she said doubtfully.

Nathan gave them a large nod of his head."Squid…it happens to be his favorite meal in all the sea."

Kristin had more than a little disgust in her voice, "I don't have to feed it to him, do I?"

Nathan was grinning broadly, "No…but you do have to say nice things to him while we feed the squid to him."

A relieved smile crossed Kristin's face."I can say nice things to him as long as I don't have to mess with the squid."She paused for a moment and then spoke with wonder in her voice, "He killed that shark."

Nathan and Lucas nodded knowingly.Nathan was the one who responded."He's going to have such a big head about this…he's gonna be insufferable."

The End.


End file.
